This original receipe for the Koofta Tabrizi I learn t while’s t I was staying with my in laws in a town called Khoy in Iran
during the 80′s. I have made it many times, and on a few occasions the
meatball has split or fallen apart, through trail and error I believe
that the leaner the lamb mince the firmer the meatball will be. I never
ate this in Teheran or any other part of Iran so I would associated this
meatball with the northwest of Iran Azerbijan
Ingrediants
Minced lamb 225gram-soaked overnight yellow
split peas 50gram-three large onions sliced -one small onion grated-rice
handfull-1 egg-Two large tomatoes chopped-teaspoon of tomato
puree-spring onions-parsley-mint chopped finely-turmeric-salt and
pepper.
To be eaten with Lavash bread
Start by frying the sliced onions in a little oil slowly this will take around 40 minutes mix frequently as to not burn them.
Cook your split peas also for around 40
minutes.When cooked place in a pestle and mortar and pound until it
resembles peas pudding.
Cook the handful of rice in a little water
add shake of turmeric and bring to the boil. Turn off and strain, keep
the water, you can add this to the kufta to cook.
Place the minced lamb in a bowl with the
grated onion and mix very well.Add the pounded yellow split peas the egg
salt and pepper and shake of turmeric and mix well.
Add the rice and chopped herbs.Split the
mixture into two and shape into a ball shape or if you are feeling very
adventures you can leave it as a large ball.(I have heard that in khoy
they place a boneless cooked chicken and onion in the middle of them for
ceremonies)
Place a large saucepan that will hold the kufta with a good slug of oil and heat it up.
Place the ball mixture in your hand and make indentation in the middle and place half of the cooled fried
onion into the middle.
Carefully closed the meatball making sure
all the onion are covered and you have no splits in the ball. Now place
the ball into the saucepan and do the other ball the same.
Now you will have to add some boiling water
to the pan around 150ml this will help lift the kooftas from the bottom
of the pan, add the rice water that you saved, and the chopped tomatoes
and tomato puree and fill the pan with water to around two thirds of the
kooftas.Bring to the boil, then cover and reduce the heat to a
simmer.
After about 30 minutes carefully turn the kooftas around.
Cook gently until the stock is reduced to around one third of the kuftas.
To serve the kooftas lift the meatballs gently onto a plate and the stock into a bowl.
The stock is eaten as a starter. Tear the
lavash into small pieces and place in the stock and eat then cut the
koofta in half and marvel at the onions in the middle. Can be served with
numerous thing such as salad Shiraz or Iranian pickles.
